Summary for paper maché food-safe coating Discussion
paper maché food-safe coating options are discussed for making usable coffee mugs from maché-ed cardboard. Diana McCleery asks for a waterproof inside coating that can handle drinking temperatures of about 155 °F to 175 °F and still be food safe. In reply, Goran Budija suggests trying beeswax, notes that water glass may be an option, and adds that Japanese lacquer (urushi) can also be used. The thread excerpt also mentions Incralac as a coating made by many manufacturers under license from the International Copper Research Association, with the suggestion that manufacturers in the user’s area could be contacted for sources. The advice is brief and exploratory rather than definitive, so the safest takeaway is that several traditional coatings may be worth investigating, but the excerpt does not confirm which one is best for hot-drink use.
Q. We are making large paper maché angels for our church and have to redo them every year. They are out side part of the year. Some one told me to check into an acrylic overlay called Incralac
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link]
. I would like some information on this or any other suggestions you might have to preserve our angels. We don’t want them to appear plastic and they have a lot of folds in the clothes and details on the wings so we will need something in spray form. Since we are donating as a group, money is an issue as well. Thank you for all your help with this.
Holly Ward
artist craftsman – Lakeside, Montana, USA
2004
A. Incralac
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link]
is made by many coatings manufacturers, under license from the International Copper Research Association (whose initials are obviously the source of the product name). They should be able to tell you of manufacturers in your area.
Bill Reynolds [deceased]
consultant metallurgist – Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
We sadly relate the news that Bill passed away on Jan. 29, 2010.
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors and repetition 🙂
Q. Hi! I’m a paper maché artist, and have set myself the challenge of making useable coffee mugs made of maché-ed cardboard. I’m still looking for a coating to waterproof the inside, that would be food safe at drinking temperatures of between 155 °F and 175 °F (70 °C to 80 °C).
Grateful for any help!
Diana McCleery
– Minnesota, USA
November 21, 2021